Nixie Necklace Guaranteed Not to Electrocute You (We Think)

I’ve always had a place in my heart for the delightfully retro-tastic look of Nixie and VFD tubes. Most of the time, they turn up in clocks, or maybe an old calculator or radio. But I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve seen a Nixie tube necklace.

Now think about this for a moment. A Nixie tube requires a high voltage to emit its bright orange glow, and you’ll be wearing this around your neck. As a matter of fact, the power supply will be sitting in very close proximity to your heart, so I suppose you could always use it as a portable defibrillator. I kid, of course – we’ve been told it’s perfectly safe. It’s actually powered by a small CR123 lithium battery, and a small switching power supply steps up the voltage to make its Russian IN-19V Nixie tube glow. Still, I wouldn’t try wearing this in the bathtub or a rainstorm.

The Nixie tube itself doesn’t get hot either, so you don’t have to worry about getting burnt by it, and it’s all insulated by a nice oak wood case with acrylic panes on the face, and attached to an adjustable (15″ to 30″) cord. While the photos here show the tube with a plus sign (or cross if you’re religious) on it, the switch on the side lets you choose between plus or minus signs.

If you like what you see, and want a necklace that none of your friends are likely to be wearing, head on over to Etsy now, where you can grab the Nixie necklace for $94.95(USD). Be sure to swing by Electronico Design’s shop for more of their cool Nixie and VFD creations. I’m especially fond of the Dekatron Spinner Nightlight: